The Christmas spirit came to Williamson Square early this year as a festive single was performed for Liverpool shoppers.
The Big City Soul Collective, along with Choir with No Name, up-and-coming local artists and Lord Mayor Councillor Erica Kemp came to showcase a new song – ‘Liverpool Heart’ – which they hope can become the Christmas number one.
The song has been especially written in a bid to showcase the city’s creative talent and money raised from the single will go to the Liverpool Heartbeat charity, which will distribute the funds to help creative young people from disadvantaged backgrounds fulfil their potential.
It was a community affair from start to finish as song sheets were handed out for the public to sing along, with some getting up on stage to join in.
Writer of the song, Ian Hewitt, told JMU Journalism: “I would say I really want people to support the song, yes we want people to buy it. Effectively Big City Soul Collective is a record company, what we won’t have is executives driving around in cars drinking champagne. Any profits made will go back into doing stuff like this for the community.”
Video report by Connor Dunn, JMU Journalism TV
One of the local artists and singers on the track is 15 year-old Sophie Clarke from Crosby, who told JMU Journalism: “It was really good, it was nice to get everyone together and do it all. It was nice as the song is for Liverpool and it’s for charity as well.”
Lord Mayor Kemp, who appears on the track, hopes this can become the Christmas number one. She told JMU Journalism: “When I went into Parr Street studios I was absolutely terrified because I just thought I was going to sing as part of the choir I didn’t realise I was getting a little line of my own, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and to be here this afternoon joining in and hearing the finished version was quite emotional really.”
Parr Street Studios has an excellent pedigree when it comes to achieving festive chart hits as it was there that the Hillsborough charity single, ‘He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother’, was recorded, which became the 2012 Christmas number one.
‘Liverpool Heart’ is officially released on November 7th.